Job Search Marketing – Who, Me? (Part 2)

The job search marketing strategy and plan aspects touched on in Part 1 barely scratched the surface of what you should consider when you contemplate launching a job search, if you want it to be successful. This time I want to go a little more into a couple of aspects of the job search strategy and plan that I mentioned earlier.

Job Search Marketing Strategy

Here are four previously mentioned types of marketing worth considering from a strategic job search standpoint (just remember you’re not limited to these):

Content marketing: According to Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is a “process for creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” In job search terms, that could mean things like creating a blog to share your professional expertise, help you attract the attention of potential employers, and develop your reputation as a go-to person.

Word-of-mouth marketing: Basically this means you want to encourage others to spread the word about you, be your “ambassadors,” and so on. Of course, you need to do some initial communication to start the buzz going–ideally, with people who know you and are predisposed to help you get the word out.

Online marketing: This could include activities like writing a blog, creating an online web portfolio, and beefing up your LinkedIn profile. In other words, you reach out to your target audience via a selection of online tools.

Offline marketing: Whether you participate in professional groups, attend networking events, or engage in other types of in-person interaction to promote your job search, this type assumes you’re not doing it online.

Of course, you can and possibly should be doing more than one of these for your job search. Adopting a strategic approach to the search doesn’t mean you’re stuck with using only one strategy.

Job Search Marketing Plan

Each of the four points mentioned in Part 1 is important:

Understand your target market: If you don’t know the kinds of organizations you want to work for, the probable needs and expectations of that market, etc., how can you hope to take the right steps to attract their attention and interest?

Identify your competitive position in that market: Pretty much everyone has competition. A successful job search has to take that into consideration. What is your target market looking for that you have in abundance? For instance, do you have in-demand skills or experience that not many people have?

Specify the tactics you want to use to reach that market: You have a lot of choices–for example: networking your way into a company (via online and/or offline contacts) to identify key people to talk to; engaging in an activity that attracts media attention and gives you a chance to showcase something you’re good at; creating or contributing to a publication that serves the target market. Explore possibilities that make good sense for your situation and execute those tactics that offer the best potential.

Make sure you’re crystal-clear (or as close as you can get) on what sets you apart from your competition: You can’t expect to scope-out all your competitors, but you do need to get a sense of how your qualifications compare with theirs and whether you need (and can) do more to improve your odds.

WORD OF CAUTION:Executing your well-thought-out job search marketing plan is as important as creating it. That’s your best shot at achieving the result you want, and if you don’t execute, you’ll almost certainly stay stuck where you were when you started.